347strokin
Active VIP Member
[h=3]I've been running with an avy bag for about 4 years now. I've become quite comfortable with it and would never ride without one now. In fact, I accidentally blew the bag off one time in the backcountry and was nervous riding out the rest of the day without it.
I've always read and believed the 97% survival rate of being in an avy with a properly activated avy bag. And this is usually the info I relay to others when talking about these bags.
Anyways through a little research I've run across some other information that has opened my eyes a little bit. I feel I was maybe getting a little too comfortable with the fact that "I could always rely on my bag" in a worst case scenario and that maybe I was even taking a few more chances than I normally would just because of this fact.
This is the information that ABS has on their website that I've taken as hard facts. And while the facts may be totally correct, I believe there is some info that is also missing from these statistics:
1. Highest Survival Rate
Of the 262 persons whose ABS® avalanche airbag was activated, 97% survived, and 84% were uninjured.
[/h]How does one measure the efficiency of avalanche rescue devices? Very systematically, by analyzing as many real avalanche accidents as possible. Investigations carried out since 1991 by the independent and internationally renowned SLF Swiss Avalanche Institute in Davos have clearly revealed that ABS® systems significantly reduce the risk of being buried by an avalanche.
When a serious avalanche occurs, your chances of survival depend on where you are located in the critical phase of the avalanche, when it comes to a halt: buried under the snow or visible on the surface. If you are completely buried, there is nothing you can do that will help you to be rescued. You are helplessly dependent on others. Even if victims are usually buried at a depth of just 1 meter, they are basically encased in concrete by the dense avalanche snow and normally cannot move. Your airways are usually blocked and you cannot breathe by yourself or using apparatus. Even if you are wearing a transceiver device on your body, the chances of being rescued alive are only about 50%. The time it takes to dig a person out of the extremely compressed snow alone is often too long to rescue the person alive. The top priority is therefore to avoid being buried, because you can only help your buddies if you are not buried yourself.
With ABS®::
ABS® is the only self-rescue system that has proven its life-saving effectiveness over many years. With an ABS® airbag you are eight times safer in the event of an avalanche and have the greatest chance of survival.
I've always read and believed the 97% survival rate of being in an avy with a properly activated avy bag. And this is usually the info I relay to others when talking about these bags.
Anyways through a little research I've run across some other information that has opened my eyes a little bit. I feel I was maybe getting a little too comfortable with the fact that "I could always rely on my bag" in a worst case scenario and that maybe I was even taking a few more chances than I normally would just because of this fact.
This is the information that ABS has on their website that I've taken as hard facts. And while the facts may be totally correct, I believe there is some info that is also missing from these statistics:
1. Highest Survival Rate
Of the 262 persons whose ABS® avalanche airbag was activated, 97% survived, and 84% were uninjured.
[/h]How does one measure the efficiency of avalanche rescue devices? Very systematically, by analyzing as many real avalanche accidents as possible. Investigations carried out since 1991 by the independent and internationally renowned SLF Swiss Avalanche Institute in Davos have clearly revealed that ABS® systems significantly reduce the risk of being buried by an avalanche.
When a serious avalanche occurs, your chances of survival depend on where you are located in the critical phase of the avalanche, when it comes to a halt: buried under the snow or visible on the surface. If you are completely buried, there is nothing you can do that will help you to be rescued. You are helplessly dependent on others. Even if victims are usually buried at a depth of just 1 meter, they are basically encased in concrete by the dense avalanche snow and normally cannot move. Your airways are usually blocked and you cannot breathe by yourself or using apparatus. Even if you are wearing a transceiver device on your body, the chances of being rescued alive are only about 50%. The time it takes to dig a person out of the extremely compressed snow alone is often too long to rescue the person alive. The top priority is therefore to avoid being buried, because you can only help your buddies if you are not buried yourself.
With ABS®::
- In 97% of avalanches during which ABS® systems were activated, the airbag was visible on the surface when the avalanche came to a halt. This allows the person to immediately take self-rescue measures or be rescued by a friend.
- As a result, 97% of people who activated their ABS® avalanche airbag survived the accident, only 3% did not.
- 84% of all avalanche victims who activated their ABS® system remained unharmed and simply suffered from shock!
- In the same avalanches, 67 people were not wearing an ABS® avalanche airbag. Of these, only 57% were visible on the surface when the avalanche came to a halt.
- In total, 25% of the people without an ABS® avalanche airbag died.
ABS® is the only self-rescue system that has proven its life-saving effectiveness over many years. With an ABS® airbag you are eight times safer in the event of an avalanche and have the greatest chance of survival.
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